***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[our 5acre farm]

Quote:
i couldnt think of a better place for her to nest, straw, lots of food, water, and a extra fence for protection. lol

 

[erinszoo]

Yeah, great for her ... not so much my tomatoes though. Lol!

 

[our 5acre farm]

Im only getting about half my tomatoes between little fury critters and grasshoppers :-\ but the dogs and chickens dont seem to mind half eaten tomatoes, lol

 

[Critterwoman]

Poco Pollo,

Thanks for answering my earlier post about "curly toes" and direction to read about riboflavin deficiency. However, when I went out this morning, my little girl was dead. I had only noticed the toes yesterday, but could explain why she sat in the nesting box so much and I was thinking she was just broody. I feed a 15% layer pellet and from what I had read, a good layer pellet should have enough riboflavin to sustain them. My flock is free range during the day in a large secure area of our pasture and go to roost in the hen house at night. I'll have to see about adding some riboflavin to their diet so it doesn't happen again.

 

[Poco Pollo]

Poco Pollo,

Thanks for answering my earlier post about "curly toes" and direction to read about riboflavin deficiency. However, when I went out this morning, my little girl was dead. I had only noticed the toes yesterday, but could explain why she sat in the nesting box so much and I was thinking she was just broody. I feed a 15% layer pellet and from what I had read, a good layer pellet should have enough riboflavin to sustain them. My flock is free range during the day in a large secure area of our pasture and go to roost in the hen house at night. I'll have to see about adding some riboflavin to their diet so it doesn't happen again.

I'm sorry you lost her. The riboflavin deficiency I mentioned is my only experience with curly toes. Maybe there is someone out there who has had a different experience and could share the information. We need our chicken health gurus to give their input on this one.

 

[NanaKat]

Dose anyone here grow bonsai trees?

Used to...have had numerous in the past. What kind are you growing. This spring I've started coffee bean, ficus, Victoria,
and lacebark elm.

Quote: X 2

Quote: Betsy gave you good advice. Brewer's yeast is a tablet that you find in the over-the-counter vitamin/supplement section in the pharmacy. You crush it and add it to the feed. I like to mix it with a little plain yogurt. Birds will eat it readily.

Having bantam chicks hatch under a broody today so I added a couple from the hatcher. As a first time mother the little Birchen Wyandotte took them readily and is showering them with attention. Then, checked the Blue Cochin girls who are sitting on quitters and took them 15 day and 4 day old chicks from the brooder. Both hens are in chick heaven. Delilah is a seasoned mom so she got the younger chicks and Joy is a first timer so she got the 4 day olds.

Working on a coop for the new young juvenile pen and taking a break from the heat.

Used Nolo Bait in the garden and flower beds in the front of the house this week for the grasshoppers. The hens are taking care of the hoppers in the back yard and around the barn and pens. Blisterbugs hit the sunchokes and cucumber bed so I ended up spraying that bed with 10% Sevin after 8 pm last night so not to get the bees. Moved a praying mantis and an artillery bug to another bed before I sprayed...got to have those beneficials. The hoppers in that bed were barely kicking a leg this morning.

 

[CruchyJeepMama]

I got my first 2 eggs yesterday!!! I am so excited! I was not expecting them yet, so it was a great surprise.

 

[mjgigax]

Having bantam chicks hatch under a broody today so I added a couple from the hatcher. As a first time mother the little Birchen Wyandotte took them readily and is showering them with attention. Then, checked the Blue Cochin girls who are sitting on quitters and took them 15 day and 4 day old chicks from the brooder. Both hens are in chick heaven. Delilah is a seasoned mom so she got the younger chicks and Joy is a first timer so she got the 4 day olds.

I have lots of girls raising chicks this year instead of the incubator and brooders (last year). I think I am going to like this. One hen did start to peck the head of one of her 3 week old chicks. I grabbed it and put it in the brooder with a few I have in there and it seems to be doing fine 7 days later. I don't know why she chose that one to pick on.

My DH's little Buff Cochin roo is carrying on with leading the brooding of his hen's 7 chicks. It sure is fun to watch. Yesterday he showed them grass and peppers that I todded in the pen. His girls are a Buff Cochin girl and my Showgirl from Betsy. The eggs they hatched weren't their own but some Ameraucanas that I swapped out.

 

[mjgigax]

I got my first 2 eggs yesterday!!! I am so excited! I was not expecting them yet, so it was a great surprise.

Congratulations! and many more!
I thank my girls for every egg. I just love keeping chickens. The heat and cold barely so me down.
My DH heard me say once that discovering chickens was the best fun I've had in years and hi feelings were hurt.

 

[WhiskeyTango]

I have lots of girls raising chicks this year instead of the incubator and brooders (last year). I think I am going to like this. One hen did start to peck the head of one of her 3 week old chicks. I grabbed it and put it in the brooder with a few I have in there and it seems to be doing fine 7 days later. I don't know why she chose that one to pick on.

My DH's little Buff Cochin roo is carrying on with leading the brooding of his hen's 7 chicks. It sure is fun to watch. Yesterday he showed them grass and peppers that I todded in the pen. His girls are a Buff Cochin girl and my Showgirl from Betsy. The eggs they hatched weren't their own but some Ameraucanas that I swapped out.

I still need to get that Wheaton from you. I swapped a couple of Japanese bantam roos and a hen for four easter egger hens last weekend. Just waiting for them to settle in and start laying. Still need to build the new coop but this new job is keeping me very busy and I am canning and freezing veggies from the garden all the time it seems. More pickles this weekend and lots of squash and zucchini to vacuum seal and freeze. I'm tired